Front jacking point

I found the photo below on another thread which uses the photo to illustrate an acceptable front jacking point. My problem is my car sits on a drive-on lift, and the easiest way to jack it up is to simply lower it onto jack stands using the lift. But the stands can't be directly below the drive-on ramps, obviously, they have to be inboard of them, so the jacking point used in this photo (more or less directly behind the front wheel) is out. So my question is, would the area circled in red (where I could place a jackstand) also be acceptable? Thanks.

 

Calling Rick (Doltmo)

 

I don't think there should be any problem.

Calling Rick (Doltmo)

 

I don't think there should be any problem.

 

Yeah I think doltmo was the one who posted it, so maybe he'll weigh in.

Here is the lifting instructions from the workshop manual, note that in the first page the front and back are noted incorrectly. The front should be the back and vise versa, fig.2 should read REAR and fig.s should read FRONT. You can identify the rear of the car by the circles stamped in the sheet metal. The rear can also be lifted by the rear support in the center of the car underneath the dif, which is the easiest. I would reccommend that you put a small chunk of 2x4 there first so you can distribute the weight and not mark up the support beam.

 

Here is the lifting instructions from the workshop manual, note that in the first page the front and back are noted incorrectly. The front should be the back and vise versa, fig.2 should read REAR and fig.s should read FRONT. You can identify the rear of the car by the circles stamped in the sheet metal. The rear can also be lifted by the rear support in the center of the car underneath the dif, which is the easiest. I would reccommend that you put a small chunk of 2x4 there first so you can distribute the weight and not mark up the support beam.

 

 

Thanks for the helpful post!

 

RedGTS- It looks like your placement is out of the recommended area. I'm interested as well, as my brother has the same type of lift you do and I would love to be able to place my car on stands there when I go visit.

 

 

Thanks for the info. That is one confusing diagram. In addition to the error you pointed out with reversing front and back, the arrows in the diagram that purport to identify the front "support boards" are pointing to the red areas in the diagram that appear to me to be in the wheel well area and not where the support is actually positioned in the photograph. Both the photo I posted and the one in the manual show the jack support positioned on the angled yellow portion of the diagram, and the place I circled above where I was proposing to put mine is on that same yellow area just further toward the inside of the car. The rear "support boards" on the diagram appear to be a similar yellow angled portion, which makes me wonder if the arrows are incorrect for the front. Does anyone know what the red areas on the diagram signify?

Thanks for the helpful post!

 

RedGTS- It looks like your placement is out of the recommended area. I'm interested as well, as my brother has the same type of lift you do and I would love to be able to place my car on stands there when I go visit.

 

I agree, but as noted if you look closely at the diagram I'm 99% sure the pictured position is also out of the recommended (red) area on the front. The triangle and rectangles on the underbody make it pretty easy to tell that the place where the support in the photo is positioned is yellow, and the red area would be in the area of the front control arm (which obviously makes no sense).

Thanks for the info. That is one confusing diagram. In addition to the error you pointed out with reversing front and back, the arrows in the diagram that purport to identify the front "support boards" are pointing to the red areas in the diagram that appear to me to be in the wheel well area and not where the support is actually positioned in the photograph. Both the photo I posted and the one in the manual show the jack support positioned on the angled yellow portion of the diagram, and the place I circled above where I was proposing to put mine is on that same yellow area just further toward the inside of the car. The rear "support boards" on the diagram appear to be a similar yellow angled portion, which makes me wonder if the arrows are incorrect for the front. Does anyone know what the red areas on the diagram signify?

 

 

I agree that the diagram is confusing, when I first saw it it took me awhile while laying under the car to see were to jack. The rear is easy it has a big circle indented in the sheet metal. The front is just as the photograph shows it from the manual. My car also had marks from the dealerships hoist so it was easy to verify. If would have been nice for them to place a circle or a area with arrows of something that shows the area clearer on the actual sheet metal for the front.

 

I agree that the diagram is confusing, when I first saw it it took me awhile while laying under the car to see were to jack. The rear is easy it has a big circle indented in the sheet metal. The front is just as the photograph shows it from the manual. My car also had marks from the dealerships hoist so it was easy to verify. If would have been nice for them to place a circle or a area with arrows of something that shows the area clearer on the actual sheet metal for the front.

 

Do you agree that the place where the front lifting point is shown in the picture of the actual car is yellow in the diagram and not red? It's pretty clear to me, but I want to make sure I'm not seeing things. I think they screwed up the lines pointing to the front lift points as well as the front/rear references under the pictures.

Do you agree that the place where the front lifting point is shown in the picture of the actual car is yellow in the diagram and not red? It's pretty clear to me, but I want to make sure I'm not seeing things. I think they screwed up the lines pointing to the front lift points as well as the front/rear references under the pictures.

 

I just realised that I was incorrect about the error in the diagram. The drawing and wording for front and back is correct. The actual photograph is what is incorrect, they show the back and call it front vise versa. You can tell by the photo of the underpan which has trianglular stamping in it.

 

I would agree that the lifting point is in the yellow area as well. No clue what the red would mean, other than DO NOT jack here.

 

Now if this doesn't make all of this really confusing

Do you agree that the place where the front lifting point is shown in the picture of the actual car is yellow in the diagram and not red? It's pretty clear to me, but I want to make sure I'm not seeing things. I think they screwed up the lines pointing to the front lift points as well as the front/rear references under the pictures.

 

 

That's what it looks like to me as well. It seems reasonable to think that the jack point that you want to use would be acceptable as long as you avoided the red and green areas, but I would wait till someone verified it. Maybe your dealership knows?

That's what it looks like to me as well. It seems reasonable to think that the jack point that you want to use would be acceptable as long as you avoided the red and green areas, but I would wait till someone verified it. Maybe your dealership knows?

 

Maybe if I can get someone on the phone who knows without having to refer to the workshop manual!

 

TWG I thought that's what you meant in your first post, i.e., I understood you to be saying the captions under the photos were incorrect, not the diagram. Although I now think they are both incorrect, at least as far as the front lift points go.

Ok, I just talked to my dealer, and the person I spoke with seemed very familiar with the underside of the car and told me that they use a point much closer to what I asked about originally and circled, only even further inboard there where the angled roughly 6" wide flat portion we've been talking about comes together with the crossmember to which the A-arm attaches. So I think my proposed jacking point should be fine, as is probably any place on that angled portion shown in yellow on the diagram. I'll probably put it somewhat further inboard than where I circled though as he seemed confident it was even stronger there.

Why doesn't the factory just emboss the jacking points into the belly pan ?

If for some reason you do not wish to spend a few bucks for a floor jack which allows you to raise it exactly where your pad is now then as a second choice you can use a properly padded jack on the inboard arm of the lower swingarm close to where it mounts to the chasis.

If for some reason you do not wish to spend a few bucks for a floor jack which allows you to raise it exactly where your pad is now then as a second choice you can use a properly padded jack on the inboard arm of the lower swingarm close to where it mounts to the chasis.

 

He wants to be able to drop the car onto jack stands by lowering the car off of his drive on lift.

 

He is using a car hoist that pick up the car by the wheels not the chasis. The only way to take the cars off of the wheels with these type of lifts is to lower it onto supplied stands. This is not the same as using a floor jack and resting it onto the floor. He will have little flexability as to where the stands can be placed, and that is why he is asking the questions.

 

At least this is my understanding of the questions/problem, correct me if I am wrong.

oops double posted and can't remove

He is using a car hoist that pick up the car by the wheels not the chasis. The only way to take the cars off of the wheels with these type of lifts is to lower it onto supplied stands. This is not the same as using a floor jack and resting it onto the floor. He will have little flexability as to where the stands can be placed, and that is why he is asking the questions.

 

At least this is my understanding of the questions/problem, correct me if I am wrong.

 

I know what he was asking. My point is that there is a safe way to do it and that ain't it. You cannot adjust the jacks all that well, the lift interferes with the base, and it is real easy to drop it too hard on the stands, and yes I own a drive on lift. I guess if you can afford a Lambo and a lift, I sure as hell would probably use the jack and do it safely.

I know what he was asking. My point is that there is a safe way to do it and that ain't it. You cannot adjust the jacks all that well, the lift interferes with the base, and it is real easy to drop it too hard on the stands, and yes I own a drive on lift. I guess if you can afford a Lambo and a lift, I sure as hell would probably use the jack and do it safely.

 

Not sure what you mean by "safe" (I assume you mean without damaging the car), but I jacked the car up pretty much exactly where I circled today by lowering the car onto jackstands and it worked fine. Very stable and no marks at all on the underside (I used small flat pieces of wood on the top of the stands and have some flat top stands with rubber pads on the way). You are correct you need to carefully align the stands while lowering so you wind up in the right place on the car and also don't hit the stands' base with the lift ramps, but that's not a big deal. I think anywhere on the angled flat area ahead of the triangle & rectangles (the part that's yellow in the diagram) will be fine as a jack point.

Photos & comments on lifting the Gallardo front and rear:

 

Notes:

 

- rear lift points are embossed in the belly pan in front of rear tires (see pic- wish they did this on front too)

- lifted rear at center just in front of e-gear (see pics)

- front lift point is along the "diagonal" line that follows frame (see photos)

- had our mechanic use marker to show front lift points

- hockey pucks ($1.29 each at sporting goods store) on top of jack & jack stands.

- used jackstands as safety - at rear on either side of jack under body frame (see pic), on front under A arm (see pic)

 

rear lifted from center just in front of e-gear...jackstands placed to either side as safety - hockey puck on top of jack & jackstands

rear - another view

rear - general perspective

embossed rear lift point - note location in front of rear tire

front lift point - hard to see - look at center of photo above "black disc" - black marker looks like two parenthesis with a small "x" on the WRONG side of the lift point - jack should go inside "parenthesis" along the "diagonal line of attachment points"

front lift point in center - see black marks - look like "parenthesis" - lift point inside black marks

front lift point - note location of jack: behind front wheel on frame - see red brake caliper behind/to right of jack for perspective

wheel pins - screw into lug holes - guide wheel off/on to avoid hitting CCB rotor which could easily chip/crack - they also hold the weight of the wheel making it easier to manage (for lightweights like me cause they are HEAVY - especially the rear)

 

 

Jacking from the side to pull a rear wheel can cause the front windshield to break. Always use the crossbar in the back in front of the transmission.

Photos & comments on lifting the Gallardo front and rear:

 

Notes:

 

- rear lift points are embossed in the belly pan in front of rear tires (see pic- wish they did this on front too)

- lifted rear at center just in front of e-gear (see pics)

- front lift point is along the "diagonal" line that follows frame (see photos)

- had our mechanic use marker to show front lift points

- hockey pucks ($1.29 each at sporting goods store) on top of jack & jack stands.

- used jackstands as safety - at rear on either side of jack under body frame (see pic), on front under A arm (see pic)

 

rear lifted from center just in front of e-gear...jackstands placed to either side as safety - hockey puck on top of jack & jackstands

rear - another view

rear - general perspective

embossed rear lift point - note location in front of rear tire

front lift point - hard to see - look at center of photo above "black disc" - black marker looks like two parenthesis with a small "x" on the WRONG side of the lift point - jack should go inside "parenthesis" along the "diagonal line of attachment points"

front lift point in center - see black marks - look like "parenthesis" - lift point inside black marks

front lift point - note location of jack: behind front wheel on frame - see red brake caliper behind/to right of jack for perspective

wheel pins - screw into lug holes - guide wheel off/on to avoid hitting CCB rotor which could easily chip/crack - they also hold the weight of the wheel making it easier to manage (for lightweights like me cause they are HEAVY - especially the rear)

 

 

i notice that you even removed the wheels from the jack that you are using!

Thanks for the info.

i notice that you even removed the wheels from the jack that you are using!

Didn't remove wheels from the jack. It's a low profile jack and has a roller at each end.